Shirley K Schlafer Foundation

BIRMINGHAM, MI EIN: 38-2637259

The Shirley K Schlafer Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1985 and based in Birmingham, Michigan. The foundation focuses its philanthropic efforts on education, environmental education, professional societies and associations, and youth development.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$1.8M

-10.0% YoY

Annual Giving

$386K

-79.4% YoY

Grant Count

-18.2% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$43K

-74.8% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Shirley K Schlafer Foundation reported a distributable amount of $133K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's primary funding interests include:

Education
Environmental Education
Professional Societies & Associations
Youth Development
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
Human Services

Grantmaking

The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Grantmaking is by invitation only.

Grant Range

$1,000–$125,000

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations and initiatives in Michigan.

Grant Distribution by State

Michigan $6.8M (93%)

District of Columbia $316K (4%)

California $100K (1%)

Colorado $40K (1%)

New York $31K (0%)

States

California Colorado District of Columbia Michigan New York

Cities

Ann ArborBloomfield HillsBoulderCarmelDetroitHudsonNew YorkPinckneyWashington

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Total Assets: $1,851,168
Annual Giving: $313,500–$376,000
Giving Rate: 20.4% of assets

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$1,843,419	$2,048,209	$3,654,289
Revenue	$233,081	$328,030	$838,960
Expenses	$437,871	$1,934,110	$1,855,699
Qualifying Distributions	$400,387	$1,888,387	$1,767,552
Net Investment Income	$195,597	$285,352	$783,866
Distributable Amount	$133,252	$153,809	$242,370

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 9 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

50 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include National Geographic Society ($125,000), University of Michigan ($90,000), North Star Reach ($60,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
ANN ARBOR ART CENTER ANN ARBOR, MI	CHARITABLE	$25,000
CRANBROOK SCHOOLS BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI	CHARITABLE; SCHOLARSHIPS	$10,000
MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART DETROIT DETROIT, MI	CHARITABLE; MUSEUM MAINTENANCE & EDUCATION	$50,000
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY WASHINGTON, DC	CHARITABLE; ANIMAL EDUCATION & HEALTHCARE	$125,000
NORTH STAR REACH PINCKNEY, MI	CHARITABLE	$60,000
NROC CARMEL, CA	CHARITABLE	$25,000
PEWABIC POTTERY SOCIETY DETROIT, MI	CHARITABLE	$150
PLANNED PARENTHOOD ANN ARBOR, MI	CHARITABLE; REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE	$1,000
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN ANN ARBOR, MI	EMERGING SCHOLARS AND WOMEN'S HEALTH INNOVATION FUND	$90,000

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
EDITH S BRISKIN	CHAIRMAN/TREASURER	10	$14,430

Contact Information

Address: 727 Willits Street, Birmingham, MI 48009-3309

Telephone: 248-375-7827

EIN: 38-2637259

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Shirley K Schlafer Foundation fund?

The foundation's primary funding interests include: • Education • Environmental Education • Professional Societies & Associations • Youth Development • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services

How do I apply for a grant from Shirley K Schlafer Foundation?

**Grant Activity:** • Annual giving: $313,500–$376,000 • Number of grants: 7 grants annually • Grant range: $1,000–$125,000 • Median grant size: $50,000 • Typical awards: $150–$1,503,250 **Application Policy:** The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Grantmaking is by invitation only.

Where does Shirley K Schlafer Foundation make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations and initiatives in Michigan.

What size grants does Shirley K Schlafer Foundation award?

In 2024, Shirley K Schlafer Foundation awarded 9 grants totaling $386K — an average of about $43K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Shirley K Schlafer Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Shirley K Schlafer Foundation reported a distributable amount of $133K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.